Rooster Chat

[microchick]

Yes, it is call caponizing. If there is an avian vet near you they would probably be able to do it for you. Many do it themselves but even though I'm a retired nurse I wouldn't try it for a million dollars. There are threads here on BYC about it and youtube movies also.

Once caponized he will just be one of the girls so to speak. No crowing, no mating, of course, no eggs either, LOL.

 

[sebloc]

Well, maybe, just maybe, he would serve a purpose in protecting them. We may let them into our garden with an open top, so.

 

[newhamplover]

Yes, it is call caponizing. If there is an avian vet near you they would probably be able to do it for you. Many do it themselves but even though I'm a retired nurse I wouldn't try it for a million dollars. There are threads here on BYC about it and youtube movies also.

Once caponized he will just be one of the girls so to speak. No crowing, no mating, of course, no eggs either, LOL.

I wouldn't recommend this. I looked into it & talked to my vet about it. He has been my vet since the 80's & a very good one. His wife has chickens & he tried it on one of her roos & it was not successful. He told me where the testes are located, up by the backbone, they are so small & hard to find. He said he knew he was in there way to long & he lost the roo. Said he would never try it again. I also talked to the veterinary school at Okla. State University & they told me the same thing for the same reasons. They do not do it or recommend it because it is way to high a risk.

 

[sebloc]

Not many other options for us. Rehoming its an option, but we think rehoming it is the same thing as giving it to a dinner table. Hopefully we can find someone who wants it.

 

[newhamplover]

Well, maybe, just maybe, he would serve a purpose in protecting them. We may let them into our garden with an open top, so.

I personally wouldn't be without one & I know the hens would be lost without him. The 2 pullets have been lost since their brothers left. They stayed with them. They are starting to join up with their parents now. In observing mine it is Harry that is subservient to the girls. They go about their business without a care in the world & he is always following behind them watching. His head is constantly turning, looking, watching. The girls just don't pay any attention, I guess they figure that is his job, to protect them. I tell him all the time "those girls really take you for granted". LOL He looks at me like "boy seeing to them is a full time job". By the end of the day I'm ready to go up & rest.

 

[microchick]

I agree with @newhamplover . Sometimes my boys are a handful, but I wouldn't be without them. I have 8, 12 week old juveniles that for some reason like to come outside in the evening about 45 minutes before sunset. Just about the time the senior flock members are heading inside and arguing about perching places. I've noticed when I go out to shoo them in for the night that two of the young cockerels from a Feb hatch are standing guard over them. When they see me coming to push the little ones in, the two slightly older cockerels seem to relax as if saying 'oh, you're here , you've got this under control. Good, we can go to bed.'

And they head inside.

I currently have 13 roosters and a rooster pen/coop. The exceptional roosters and cockerels get rotated into the flock so they have a chance to mate and be roosters. They lead a good life in spite of being celibate most of the time and I have to admit that even the 'onery ones settle down once they are away from the girls.

I highly recommend a rooster pen if you can swing it. If nothing else, they are fun to watch.

 

[newhamplover]

I agree with @newhamplover . Sometimes my boys are a handful, but I wouldn't be without them. I have 8, 12 week old juveniles that for some reason like to come outside in the evening about 45 minutes before sunset. Just about the time the senior flock members are heading inside and arguing about perching places. I've noticed when I go out to shoo them in for the night that two of the young cockerels from a Feb hatch are standing guard over them. When they see me coming to push the little ones in, the two slightly older cockerels seem to relax as if saying 'oh, you're here , you've got this under control. Good, we can go to bed.'

And they head inside.

I currently have 13 roosters and a rooster pen/coop. The exceptional roosters and cockerels get rotated into the flock so they have a chance to mate and be roosters. They lead a good life in spite of being celibate most of the time and I have to admit that even the 'onery ones settle down once they are away from the girls.

I highly recommend a rooster pen if you can swing it. If nothing else, they are fun to watch.

I see the same thing you do. When I go outside during the day its like Harry is saying "now I can rest from watching for a little while". The hens get everything first even the mealworms & he stands back & lets them. Then he will come around right next to my side while I feed him his worms. Those girls are greedy LOL. Every night, since the boys left, he would come back out to wait for the 2 pullets. He never did this before. We would shoo them in so he could go back to roost. The last 2 nights they have went in on their own & the 3 adults sit on their roost & watch them carrying on in the floor. They eat & drink & scratch while the adults just look on. I think that Harry thinks boy am I glad they are finally coming in & I don't have to get down & come see to them. "Oh the young just ware me out". LOL

 

[sebloc]

That's why I'm thinking about keeping him.

 

[newhamplover]

That's why I'm thinking about keeping him.

I think everyone has to make that choice for themselves. Obviously from reading a lot of the posts on here roos aren't for everyone & a lot of the times I think they get a really bad rap. But if you are a patient person & let the young, sometimes goofy adolescent, grow into roosterhood it can be & has been for me very rewarding. My Harry sure went through some antics too, they don't come into this world knowing how to be a mature roo but like all of us they will figure it out.

 

[Birdydeb]

Yeah, I am starting to see some of the same things since I last posted about my RIR roo making me nervous. There are 3 five month old Roos in my run. I hated the New Hampshire roo so badly back in July that I would not have cared if his new home did eat him. I would have rung his neck myself a couple times. The RIR was acting like a snot toward my daughter and hubby but I do think he was being protective of the pullets, I got nervous of him but I got over it. The BR who has never been a problem still isn't and pals around with the RIR. I was working on a separate roo run and broke with the shingles. Which ground everything to a standstill. I realized yesterday that the craziness that was going on down there had stopped and other than egg songs everything was quiet. I went down to watch for a bit (and I will probably do some more today) and what do I see? Three very subdued and calm Roos who are no longer chasing every pullet or each other around and around the run. ???? I will have to watch a bit more but it "appears" they worked this out on their own? The RIR and BR have evidently decided though that the NH is odd man out and he stays as far away from them as he can. I actually feel sorry for that poor boy with the sideways tail that makes him look ridiculous...like a tailless rooster. LOL But now I am considering letting him stay in a bachelor run. I know 3 is way too many for 9 pullets so I need to finish that bachelor run this week for sure but after seeing this I am thinking all 3 have earned a reprieve at least for awhile. Two weeks ago it was so chaotic I was ready to keep only the BR and let the other two go. I realize they have more maturity to go through so this might be a temporary reprieve but right now all 3 are acting like gentlemen. And none of my pullets have been visibly harmed. Gonna do my best to get that bachelor run going this week. Before they decide to resume craziness and create chaos.